Boiler



W. H. WINSLOW BOILER April 27 1926. 1,582,325

Original Fi d August 1914 2 Sheets-Sheet l STEAM E941 suPERHEm-ma ZDNE DRYING -ZEIN [FIRE BIJX wj/bn/esscsy/ I M] w April 27 1926. 1,582,325

w. H. WINSLON BOILER Original Filed Au ust 29, 1914 2 Sheets-Sheet z Amt/gs Patented A a27', 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. WINSLOW, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, assion'on To WINSLOW SAFETY HIGH-PRESSURE BGILER'COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLTHOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

BOILER.

Application filed August 29, 1914, Serial No. 859,157. Renewed November 7, 1917. Serial No. 200,846.

To all whom it may concern p lie it known that I, ruman H. TYINS- now. a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State IS of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boilers, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of 1 this specification.

This invention relates to steam boilers. The etficiency of a steam plant can, generally speaking, be increased by increasing the working pressure and the working temperature. The elticiency of thesteam engine, as is well-known, increaseswith the tempera.- ture range of the motive fluid. Increase of pressure allows a greater output from the engine and within reasonable limits the 29 percentage of frictional losses is considerably reduced. Efiiciency of the steam plant is, however, the combined etliciency of the engine and the boiler and any material advance has heretofore been limited by the structure and thermal limitations of the bo'ler, An increase in the working temperature of boilers heretofore known has resulted in greater radiation losses andheat losses in the stack gases, due to improper 3 constriction.

The mechanical strength and the factors of safety have also prevented any considerable increase in pressure, so that raising of the working pressure or temperature, which would be in effectforoed firing of the boiler, has been entirely impracticable, due as well to the danger incurred as to the unsatisfactory operation of the boiler under such conditions. The ordinary boiler, when forced, delivers wet steam, which causes not only a decrease in efllciency of the engine, but is dangerous to the operation thereof. Any increase in temperature is also likely to open the seams of the boiler.

The disadvantages of the prior art have prevented a realization of the theoretic efficiencies which could be secured by high pressure superheated steam, as no commercial boiler structure capable of regularly delivering such steam in suitable quantities has heretofore been constructed.

The chief object of the presentinvention is to provide an improved boiler capable of delivering high pressure superheated steam in large quantities.

Another object is to provide a sectional boiler ofintegral unitary construction with an improved superheater forn'iing part thereof.

.A still further object of my invention is to improvetheconstruction and mounting of the sections of the boiler.

. To enable the greatest advantagesto be taken of the possibilities of the increased efficiency, as above set forth, I have found it necessary to depart entirely from the prior types of boiler construction, and devise a method of operation and structure for practicing the same fundamentally different from boilersbefore known.

The present invention is an improvement on the structures disclosed in my prior ap plications, SerialNo; 656,179, filed October 23, 1911, patented Aug. 14, 1917, Patent- Number 1,237,233, and Serial'No. 8%],4 15, filed May 28, 1914, patented Aug. 14, 1917, Patent Number 1,236,641.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a diagram explaining the action of a boiler constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2- is a cross sectionalview of a boiler embodying my invention.

.The boiler is Of the sectional type having a plurality of similar sections, one of which is shown in elevation in Figure 2. The section consists of a header 1 to which a numher of tubes are welded to form an integral structure. A front header is wclded to a number of these tubes in the same manner. An auxiliary header 3 is welded to the uppermost tubes 4 whichare longer than the tubes 5 connecting the headers land 2.. The tubes 5 are given a slight curvature, which has been shown in exaggerated form inthe drawing, to relieve the tubes of the effect of unequal expansion, that is, by giving these tubes a slight curvature the column effect thereof is destroyed. The tubes 4 are shown as being straight, although the same might be given a slight curvature if desired.

Each section has a feed water connection (9 to a common supply pipe 7 anda steam conall) ncction 8 to a common steam header 9. Unions 10 allow of convenient conncctimi and discmmection of the feed pipe 6. The steam pipe 8 is also provided with a union in the form of a ground ball joint 11 to provide a tight joint even under the effect of contraction and expansion due to heating. This joint comprises fittings 12 provided with spherical seats in which is fitted a lens shaped washer 13 having a passage therethrou gh.

A strap 1 1 surrounds the fittings 12 and is provided with a threaded brass block 16 and a set screw 17 for forcing the two fittings 12 against the packing 13. Slight n'ioven'ients of the fittings are possible witlr out causing an opening of the joint.

The header 1 has welded at the bottom end thereof a. steel forging 18 which is provided with a flange 19 at the bottom thereof. The forging 18 is of consi( air-ably greater weight than the body of the tube 1 and has seats for the plugs 20 opposite the two lowermost tubes 21. These plugs 20 may be removed for the purpose of cleaning the tubes 21. The lower side of the flange .19 is provided with a spherical seat forming part of the ground joint between the header 1 and the mud drum 22.

The mud drum 22 is provided also with a spherical seat 2-1 between which seat and the forging 19 a lens shaped packingwasher is provided for forming a tight joint.

Flanges 25 connected to the mud drum provide sockets for the bolts 26 which clamp the mud drum and the forging together. The mud drum 22 is common to all of the sections and is provided with a common blow-off connection 27 containing a valve 28.

A suitable boiler setting or casing 30 surrounds the boiler. This casing is provided with a tire. box 31 and a smoke stack 32 at opposite ends of the boiler. Any type of burner may be employed in the fire box but I have shown the grates 33 as indicating a typical furnace construction.

A baille plate 34- is connected to each one of the sections and these plates form a complete wall transversely of all the sections. The rear of the tire box is closed by a battle wall l?) upon which the battle plates 31- rest, the whole structure constituting in effect one continuous wall.

lire flue 36 connected to the front end of the tire box leads upward between the front wall 3'? and the front headers 2. The sections of the boiler are set close together so that the headers are in contact and the headers 2 form a practically tight wall for the smoke fine 36. The upper end of the fine 36 is obstructed to a certain degree by the superheating tubes 4-. which are longer than the tubes 5 and extend to the frontof the wall 37. A space 38 is formed between the root 3,!) of the casing and the tubes 4 to allow the gases passing through the flue 3G to pass toward the rear of the boiler and spread over the tubes l: before passing downward between the baflle and the rear headers 1.

The amount of furnace gases passing through the fine 36 is controlled by the damper =18. he damper is mounted on the rod 19 which can be moved to set the damper in any desired position by means of the quadrant 50. In this manner the degree of superheating can readily be controlled.

The major part of the furnace gases is conducted upward across the tubes 5 over the baflle 34: and down through the space between the baffle 3+1: and the rear header 1 to the smoke box 40.

All of the gases from the fire box 31 must pass between the battle 3 1 and the headers 1 into the smoke box at the rear of brid "e wall 23-3 before passing to the smoke flue :1 and out of the stack Thus they pass through the economizing portion of the boiler before passing to the stack 32. The feed water connections 6 ma be coiled or suitably bent to expose a more extensive surface to the stack gases in order to extract as much of the remaining heat as possible before the gases are finally exhausted.

These economizer sections are individu ally removable with the individual boiler sections.

The weight of each of the boiler sections is supported entirely from its header 1. The header rests upon the mud drum 9.2 which receives the downward thrust of the entire section. The section is supported against tilting edgewise by a Z-bar which is mounted on the upper part of the boiler setting and engages the tops of each of the headers 1. The tubes 5 form a strut for supporting the weight of the boiler and for sup porting the weight of the superheatcr as well. A metal peg l?) is welded to the lower tube l of the superheater and rests upon the top of the header 2. The peg is not attached to the header 2 and thereby differences in expansion due toheat may occur without straining the parts.

The back of the boiler casing contains a door in through which the sections may be withdrawn when it is desired to make rcplacements or repairs. A plate l-ii covers the front of the boiler and rests upon the root 39 and the cornice -17 of the front of the boiler so as to be readily removed to allow withdrawal of the steam connection 9 and the fitting 12. To remove a Section it necessary merely to open the door 1-5. disconnect the said connection 1%. the bolts 26 at the mud drum. and the strap llat. the steam connection. The section may then be readily withdrawn. Each one of the sections even in large sizes is light enough that it esaeas The heat from the -furnace causes the water to expand and also to generate steam bubble. and as a result the water in the header 2 rises above the level in the header 1 and the cataract effectdescribed in full in my Patent No. 1,286,6- t1 issued August l i, 1917, take place. The tubes 5 are all heated to a Very high temperature but the upper tubes are of a higher temperature than the lower ones because of the: cooling effect of the water in the lowermost tubes andthe consequent more rapid withdrawal of heat there by. As a result, the water which flows bad in the inclined tubes goes oil into steam readily and under the most favorable conditions for oroducin dr steam. The n 3 381- l c: I) 11 most tubes 5 which are substantially hori- I zontal are drying'tubes for drying and super heating the steam as it passes from the lower tubes to the top of headerl.

The tubes 4t ae'purely for superheating purposes and it is to secure this effect that the tire flue is constructed to lead the hot furnace gases directly to the top of the section.

The expansion of the tubes ti: will be greater than of the tubes 5, as the tubes 4; contain only dry steam which is being superheated. Furthermore, these tubes are of a greater length amount of expansion occurs. 1t is desirable therefore, that these tubes be connected to the sepearate header 3 as shown. It will be noticed that the steam flowing in the superheater tubes 4: flows in the direction opposite to that of the furnace gases and, in fact, the entire boiler structure is constructed to lead the hot gases and the water for forming steam in generally opposite directions so that V the steam isderivered at practically the temperature of the turnace'gases and the furnace gases are exhausted at practically the temperature of the incoming water. This is the ideal condition for transmitting the maximum amount of heat fromthe gases to the steam.

The action occurring within the boiler may best be eiqiilained by reference to Figure 1, which isa diagrammatic representagroupot'tubes whicha-re substantially horiboiler and a consequent greater total zontal, connected at the topof. header 2, are shown in the diagram as being grouped into a single tube. The uppermost tubes connect ing the auxiliary and rear headers are shown as grouped into a single tube at the top or the figure. The major portion of the heat is applied to the section at the lower lefthand corner of the boiler in proximity to the fire-box. As indicated in the figure, there are two distinct paths for the furnace gases,

which are represented in this fi ure by heavy wavy arrows. One path leads upward along the "front header through the superheating zone, down through the drying zone, and separating zone, to the economizer, from whence this part of the gases passes on to the stack. The major portion of the furnace gases passes up through the circulatingand separating zones, overthe battle, and passes down through the economizing zone and thence to the stack. It is to be understood, that this path for the gases contains also the drying zone of tubes, and these tubes are subject to'the action of both currents of gases. Y

i As a result of the heat applied to the lowermost tubes, a violent boiling action occurs in the circulating zone, raising the level or the water in theiront header to height considerably above that in the rear header and. causing a rapid circulation in the lower pair of tubes as indicated by the arrows. This is due, first, to the difference inspecilic gravity of the heated water and therelativ ly cool feed water and to the fact that the steam bubbles in attempting to free themselves from the water lift a considerable portion of water above the normal level in the rear header. As a resul the water so lifted is caught in the opentubes and is conducted back to the rear header over the hot tubes in an ideal condition for forming steam, well as separating out mechanically from the water the bubbles of steam already formed. The steam formed in the circulatin and separating Zones passes upward through the drying zone and it isonly by passingthrough this zone that the steam is enabled to pass to the superheater and out 01' the main connection. It is thus impossible for any moist or wet steam to escape to the steam connection;

It will be noticed that one current of gases is led in the same direction as the current oi water passin into steam. This is th current of gases passngarross the tubes and over the ialile. Another current of gases passes parallel to the current of steam,

but in" an opposite direction. in this manner a maximum StCtllll turning and circulating action obtained by the one current an-da maximum drying or supcrheatmg eti'cct lS'OlJtZllHQCl by the other cui high pressure superheated steam at a very rapid rate. The sections have a very large factor of safety due to the Welded construction throughout and the absence of any joint subject to the action of the hot furnace gases. The boiler comprises distinct zones of action, including the main circulating and steam producing action in the bottom tubes 5, especially at the lefthand side of the section. A separating action of the-steam and rater occurs above the main level of the Water in the boiler and a superheating action occurs in the upper tubes 5 and in the supcrheater tube l. The incoming feed water is heated in the zone defined by the battle 3% and the header 1, as well as the feed Water connection (5, Where the outgoing furnace gases give up the remaining available heat.

It will be noticed that I obtain in a single Welded structure the four distinct operations and am enabled as well to reverse the flow of steam in the superheating tubes so as to secure a maximum superheating effect.

The action of the gases passing through the flue 36 may be regulated by the damper L8. This damper is especially valuable in causing a quick formation of steam when the boiler is first fired up. By closing the damper 48, all of the gases from the fire-box are forced through the tubes containing Water and, in this manner, the boiler may be brought up to full pressure in a minimum period of time. As soon, however, as steam is to be drawn from the boiler, the damper i8 may be opened to subject the tubes 4- to the furnace gases for obtaining suitable superheat.

Although I have described my invention with reference to a particular embodiment as required by the statutes, I do not intend thereby to limit the invention to any of the details shown or described, as it is evident that numerous modifications will at once be apparent to those skilled in the art and I desire that all such modifications be consid- (red as coming within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a boiler, a plurality of closed unitary sections adapted to be exposed on all sides to high temperature gases and each including a rear header having a continuous unobstructed passage therethrough, a front header, a plurality of tubes connecting said headers, the lowermost of said tubes for containing water and the uppermost tubes for containing steam, a'third header and a plurality of substantially horizontal tubes connecting said first and third headers, aconnnon mud drum connected to said first header and a common steam drum connected to said third header.

In a boiler, aplurality of sections ineluding a vertical rear header having a continuous unobstructed passage therethrough, a second header, a plurality of inclined tubes connecting said headers, the lowermost of said tubes being filled with Water, a third header arranged beyond the second header, a plurality of substantially horizontal tubes connecting said first and third headers, the tubes connected to said third header being longer than the tubes connected to said second header, and constituting a superheating part adapted to be ar'anged in the direct path of the gases, a common mud drum connected to said first header and a common steam drum connected to said third header.

3. In a steam boiler, a plurality of sections, each of said sections including a header having an unobstructed passage throughout its length, a second header, a plurality of inclined tubes connecting said headers, a third header, a plurality of horizontal tubes connecting said third and said first headers, a furnace and setting for said boiler, the sections having their correspond ing headers in contact to form a Wall, a flue formed between said headers and a Wall of the setting, the tubes connecting the first and third headers being longer than the tubes between the first and second headers and extending over said flue.

l. in combination, a boiler comprising a plurality of sections, each of said sections comprising a front header, a rear header and an auxiliary header, and tubes connected to said headers, a setting for said boiler forming a casing, a furnace in said setting adjacent the front of said sections, a smoke fine in said casing at the rear of said sections, a space being formed between the front wall of the furnace and the front headers to form a fire fine, the rear headers forming a wall of said smoke flue and the tubes connected to said auxiliary header extending over said fire flue so that the gases from said flue pass through said tubes.

5. A boiler section comprising a front header, a rear header of greater length, an auxiliary header, inclined tubes connecting the front and rear headers and substantially horizontal tubes connecting the auxiliary header and the rear header, said tubes being of greater length than the inclined tubes, all of the tubes lying in substantially the same plane, and constituting a joint-less me tallic structure adapted to be exposed on all sides to high temperature gases of combustion.

6. In a boiler, a section comprising a front header, a rear header and an auxiliary header, inclined tubes connecting said front and rear header and substantially horizon tal tubes connecting the auxiliary and the rear header, said tubes being of greater length than the inclined tubes, all of the tubes lying insubstantially the same plane,

Qii

Lass n tions, eachott said sections having front,

rear and auxiliary headers, tubes connecting said headers, said tubes and headers lying in substantially the same plane and all of the tubes connected. on one side of the rear header, a steanrdruin connected to the auxiliary header, a feed water connection to the rear header and a setting enclosing the boiler, sections having their rear headers supported by the boiler setting and an abutment on said setting bearing against the side of the rear header for preventing the section from tilting. L

9. in a boiler, a plurality of sections, each of said sections comprising a pair of main headers and an auxiliary header, tubes connecting said headers lying in substantially the same plane, means to support said sec tions comprising a bearing below one of the main headers to bear the weight of the section, and a support to prevent tilting of the section.

10. In a boiler, a plurality of sections, a

around said boiler having a lire-box and a smoke flue, each of said sections comprising a front header and a rear header, a

plurality of inclined tubes connecting said headers, said headers and the lowermost tubes being filled with water, an auxiliary header, substantially horizontal superheating tubes connecting said rear header and said auxiliary header, a tire flue between the walls of said casing and said front header, flue leading to said superheating tubes, and a baiile between. the lire-box and the smoke flue forming a passage from said lirebox up through the tubesbetween the front header and the battle and down between the bathe and rear header.

11. A boiler section comprising a front and a rear header, said rear header being longer than the front header, a plurality of inclined tubes connecting the bottom portions of said headers, a substantially horizontal tube connecting the upper portions of said headers, a support for said longer header carrying the weight of the section, and a support preventing tilting of the section.

12. A. boiler section comprising afront header, a rear header, said rear header being ot greater length than said front header.

and an auxiliary header, a pluralityof tubes connecting said front and auxiliary headers to said rear headers, the tubes connecting said auxiliary header and said rear header being substantially horizontal, the tubes connecting said front and rear headers comprising a plurality of inclined tubes connecting the lower ends of said front and rear headers, a substantially horizontal tube connecting theupper ends of said, front and'rear headers, said horizontal and'inolined tubes forn'iing astrut and supporting means for saidfrear header carrying the weightot the section, and a support preventing tilting of the section.

13. boiler comprising a plurality vofsections, each of said sections comprising a front header and a rear header, a plurality of inclined tubes connecting said headers, said headers and the lowermost tubes being tilled with water, an auxiliary headeiysubrtantially horizontalsuperheating tubes con necting said rear header, a casing around said boiler having a tire-box and a smoke line, a tire flue between the walls said casing and said front header, tlue leading to said superheating tubes, and a damper in said the fine for regulating the flow of? is in said fine.

it. in a boiler, a plurality of sections, a casing surrounding said sections, a furnace and a smoke line connected to said casing, said boiler and easing having means to cause part of the tire gases to flow in the same direction as the water circi'ilation and to cause another part of the tire gases to flow in the opposite direction to the steam flowing out or the boiler, thus exposing the steam to the inauiu'uun heat at substantially the point of delivery.

15. in co1nbination,a front and a rear i header, one of said headers projecting clownward below the other, a plurality of inclined tubes connecting the bottom portion of said headers, a substantially horizontal tube connecting theupper portion of said headers, support for the bottom of said one header to carry substzmtially all the weight of the sec tion, a. support the top of said one header for preventingtilting of the section, and superheater connected with said one header and resting upon said other header.

1. In a boiler and superheater section, a longer header, a shorter header, said headers ieing substantially vertical, an inclined lower tube joining said headers near their bottom portion, a substantially horizontal tube joining said headers at their upper portion, a superheater connected to said longer header and projecting over and beyond said short-er header, a support beneath said longer header and a support adjacent the upper end of said longer header to prevent tilting of said section.

18. A boiler comprising a plurality of seclions each of the sections comprising a supported vertical header, a plurality of tubes extending from one side of the header, a second header joining the ends of the tubes, a third header above the second header and other tubes joining the third header with the first header, the second and third headers and said tubes being all supported by and upon said supported header.

19. A boiler comprising a plurality of sections, each of said sections having vertical front and rear headers joined by a plurality of tubes lying substantially in the same vertical plane, a mud drum connected to the lower end of the rear header and upon which said header is supported the lower tubes constituting a strut and the upper tubes ten Sion members for supporting the tubes and forward header upon said rear header.

20. A boiler comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising rear and front vertical headers, and substantially horizontal tubes connecting the headers, a support below the sections at one end, the top of said support-ed end adapted to be held horizontally against an abutment by the Weight of the section.

.ln Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of June, A. D. 1914.

WILLIAM H. lVINSLOlV. 

